POPLAR HILL ROAD
Carrying POPLAR HILL ROAD over ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN
2.5 MI E OF MD 5, Charles, Maryland
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: POPLAR HILL ROAD
The POPLAR HILL ROAD bridge in Charles, Maryland carries POPLAR HILL ROAD over ZEKIAH SWAMP RUN. It was built in 1969, making it 57 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 2 sections, stretching 13.6 meters (45 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 4,644 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Maryland bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed. Its NBI inventory load rating is 11.3 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How POPLAR HILL ROAD compares
Live comparison across Maryland.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1969
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 13.6 m (45 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.4 m (31 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 4,644 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 200000CH0040010
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
How to read this record
POPLAR HILL ROAD is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare POPLAR HILL ROAD against other structures in Charles and across Maryland. Maryland bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for POPLAR HILL ROAD?
POPLAR HILL ROAD in Charles, Maryland has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is POPLAR HILL ROAD inspected?
POPLAR HILL ROAD's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 4,644 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. POPLAR HILL ROAD is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for POPLAR HILL ROAD?
POPLAR HILL ROAD has an NBI inventory load rating of 11.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining POPLAR HILL ROAD?
POPLAR HILL ROAD is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is POPLAR HILL ROAD and does age affect safety?
POPLAR HILL ROAD was built in 1969, making it 57 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.